Big maths Beat that! Shocked and angry!

[Aidan's Mummy]

Last week my 5 year old son came out of school rather upset. I asked what was wrong and he handed me a test he had done at school (picture attached) He had to answer all those questions (or as many as he could) in 30 seconds. He did 2 but they were wrong so ended up with a score of 0/17. When we got home, my partner sat down with him and told him to take his time and see if he could answer any. He answered most of them without any of my help and he seemed boosted.

The next day my partner talked to the teacher and she said it was a new way of teaching, she did think a letter should have been sent out to warn us but the deputy head didn't think it was needed. I have just googled 'big maths, beat that' and read about it. It in a new initiative designed to 'help children progress'. But to me it just seemed to knock his confidence.

On an information website it says it's a tool for teachers to assess children's maths ability. How can this be effective? If the teacher used this to assess Aidan's capability, she would be way off. When he has time to complete the questions he got most of them right. It also said it is designed to be fun. What is fun about a child crying because they felt they couldn't do the sums? I am all for education, we sit with Aidan every night and read his book with him and we also complete any homework or school projects that come home. What I am against is children being put under such intense pressure. If he was given this sheet and given a unlimited amount of time to complete it, I would have no issue. It's the intense pressure he felt that I am against!. In addition I really feel that we should have been notified that our child would be put under such intense conditions before actually doing it, giving us the option top opt out etc. His teacher said it didn't mean anything and wouldn't effect his academic report. How wrong was she? It meant something to him and has effected his education as it has knocked his confidence.

Not sure where to go from him? The teacher whilst understanding didn't say anything about it not being continued and she made it clear he would continue to di these.

 

[CRWx]

I wouldn't have been able to do that under pressure in 30 seconds let alone a 5 year old.

That sounds absolutely horrible, hun.

for your LO xxx

 

[sethsmummy]

Id take it to the head master hun.. there is no way a 5 year old should be put under that much pressure! my little one is 5 in December and he wouldnt have been able to answer a single one of those.. 30 seconds or not. Its disgusting that they are putting so much pressure on such a young child. At that age it should be all about boosting their confidence in their learning skills.. not doing something thats going to knock them back!

 

[AP]

I would be going utter crackers if Alex came home with that. That's insane

 

[Yo_Yo]

I hate this kind of thing! Just let them be kids and don't put pressure on them like this so young!! Plenty of time for them to be stressing over tests when they do their gcses.

 

[Eleanor ace]

What the heck! I wouldn't use this in a million years . 30 seconds is nothing to a 5 year old. I wouldn't expect many 5 year olds to be able to process what tey needed to do in that time, let alone answer any of the questions. Assessment is so important but it should allow the teacher to get a good understanding of the childs ability, their restrictions and how they learn. This test would leave me with more questions than answers- how does she know whether your DS isn't able to do the maths or whether he doesn't understad the way it is presented? I'd talk to the teacher about it again and explain that your DS was able to answer most of the questions when he had more time and that you are very concerned about how this test is affecting his confidence. Either that or talk to the head Early Years or even the headteacher.

 

[KayBea]

if i was given that i would of got 0/17 too! especially with only 30 bloomin seconds :/

 

[pandacub]

I had to do 'mental arithmetic' at primary school (a tape would read out a maths problem and we'd have 10 secs to figure it out in our heads) and it was AWFUL. What I basically concluded from it was that I was stupid and couldn't do maths, when I'm perfectly capable.
I think its ridiculous and completely counter productive

 

[Incubus]

I've just had a quick Google and found this https://www.andrelleducation.com/product/big-maths-beat-that-clic-challenges-england/ it actually says there shouldn't be a time limit, I'd be taking a copy in to his teacher.

 

[wishuwerehere]

30 seconds is ridiculous! It makes me so cross that they test ks1 children, it's just not necessary. Poor little lad, my daughter would be upset too.

 

[missk1989]

I teach adults maths and I know most of those couldnt do that in 30 secs.

 

[lindseymw]

I guess it depends on the child really. Joshua would love this type of challenge!

 

[supertabby]

30 seconds is insane - it would take most 5 year olds longer than that to process the task being asked of them, before even starting the questions. I'd also be asking the teacher what the other children got, I'd imagine most kids got 0/17 and therefore how does she think that assesses the children if all of them apparently "fail" the test she has set them. Surely then she'd have to concede it's a poor method to apply that timescale (let alone damaging to confidence).

 

[kerrie24]

I am doing my teaching assistant course and am in year 1 (5-6 year olds) and none of them would manage to do that list,even in longer than 30 seconds,that is ridiculous!

 

[Bex84]

Gosh when I was teaching that age I don't think many would have done in 30 seconds. I remember doing the mental arrithmatic at school and the panic and desperately trying to work out last question used to stress me out. We did quick warm ups like a game running around (I blue tacked answers on wall) for factors of 10 and did fun stuff. I hate fact that kids are tested so early. Its silly as it just turns slots of kids off learning

 

[Blah11]

Amelie told me on Friday that she's having special visitors in class tomorrow to see how she's getting on at maths.
I hope its not this.

 

[Natsku]

We did fast maths at school but not at 5 years old - that's way too much to expect at that age!

 

[Neko]

My son's school did this. Halfway through first grade (6 year olds). It was done after they had gone over all of their basic "math facts". It was meant to help reinforce the facts. If he hasn't even learned them yet, it's a completely useless exercise.

They did a mad minute. There were 20 problems and given one minute to do as many as they could. It was also done later with subtraction, multiplication and division facts as he went on in school.

 

[sunshine114]

Amelie told me on Friday that she's having special visitors in class tomorrow to see how she's getting on at maths.
I hope its not this.

That sounds like either local authority visitors or in school lesson observation to me so I wouldn't worry.

 

[Mummy May]

That's awful, poor little thing! Why do they need to put that much pressure on a 5 year old anyway?!? Xx